Teacher banned from classroom
David Knox • Published 24 Sep 2010 09:30
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A DISGRACED Innerleithen teacher has been banned from entering the classroom.
Thomas Docherty was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register earlier this year after he admitted having an affair with a pupil while teaching religious education at a school in Dalkeith.
The 51-year-old dad-of-three was also sentenced to 240 hours community service at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and given three-years probation.
This week Docherty was removed from the teaching register by the General Teaching Council (Scotland) - the profession’s governing body - on a temporary basis until a full disciplinary hearing is held later this year.
GTCS solicitor Jennifer McDonald said: “Mr Docherty’s actions were a clear abuse of his position of trust and are at the very serious end of the spectrum. There is no doubt he should be removed from the register.”
Docherty began a two-year sexual affair with the vulnerable youngster when she was just 16-years-old at Newabattle High.
The relationship was only discovered when the girl, now 21, confessed to peers earlier this year.
Docherty will now face a full GTCS disciplinary hearing, when the professional body will decided if he should be struck permanently from the teaching register, later this year.
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 24 Sep 10
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